Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has replaced his campaign manager Generra Peck in a third recent shake-up of his 2024 Presidential campaign staff.
Amid two previous shake-ups, DeSantis had cut roughly a total of 40% of his staffers.
Peck is to be shifted to a role of chief strategist while James Uthmeier, who has served as chief of staff in DeSantis’ governor’s office, will take over the campaign manager title.
Campaign spokesperson Andrew Romeo confirmed the staffing moves in a statement, saying, “Uthmeier has been one of Governor DeSantis’ top advisors for years and he is needed where it matters most: working hand in hand with Generra Peck and the rest of the team to put the governor in the best possible position to win this primary and defeat Joe Biden.”
Last week DeSantis’ biggest donor, hotel entrepreneur Robert Bigelow, said he would not give the campaign any more money unless DeSantis made changes. Bigelow has given DeSantis’ super PAC some $20 million.
“He does need to shift to get to moderates. He’ll lose if he doesn’t,” Bigelow said in a recent interview. He added, “Extremism isn’t going to get you elected.”
The thrust of DeSantis’ campaign has been his so-called “war on wokeness”—left-wing views on race, gender and sexuality. The platform has been falling flat with Republican voters.
The latest New York Times/Siena poll found that 54% of Republicans prefer former President Trump to be their 2024 Presidential Candidate while DeSantis, though in second place, lags behind with a mere 17% of Republican voters’ support.
